Rina Ronkainen: "An intelligent lifestyle is focusing on understanding the bigger picture"
Rina Ronkainen, who defended her doctoral thesis "Purposeful Teachers in Finland and Estonia" in June this year, tells more about how she came to the topic of her research, what motivated her on this journey, and, among other things, how her doctoral thesis changed the world.
How did you find your research topic?
My research topic came from my supervisors. They had researched these themes previously.
How will your research change the world (even a little bit)?
My research emphasizes the important aspects of teachers' work: ethics and excellence. A purposeful teacher has both of these qualities. This all starts with teachers' self-reflection.
What were your tactics for consistently working on your doctoral thesis to reach the end?
My supervisors pushed me to go forward. I collected the whole data first here of my PhD studies. I decided to finish by the fifth year.
What is something you appreciate about your dissertation supervisor(s)?
My supervisors were supportive and pushed me to go forward. They have me informative feedback deadlines.
What was a memorable or funny instance that happened while writing the thesis?
I wrote my thesis about purposeful teachers while I struggled to find a purpose for my studies during my Ph.D.
Based on your research, what does an intelligent lifestyle mean for you?
It means good interaction and cognitive intelligence, such as mathematical and logical skills. Intelligent lifestyle is rather holistic, and humans are seen as a whole. An intelligent lifestyle lifestyle considers various aspects; it is not focused only on one thing but instead on understanding the bigger picture.